As we begin the campaign period ahead of our country’s general elections early next year, it is important that we reflect a bit on the need to avoid civil unrest which is one of the major factors that disrupt farming. We will be listening to several different politicians, many of whom could be spreading misinformation and disinformation about fellow candidates and the different political parties in the race for the various political offices.
They might also engage in sowing seeds of discord like highlighting economic inequality, ethnic discrimination, political oppression, and corruption. The farmers make the majority of voters and they will be the largest group targeted by the aspiring leaders as they mobilise support. The danger is that such language could erode public trust and spread widespread discontent that may result in civil unrest instead of better governance.
False narratives can deepen divisions and stroke hatred especially in a situation where thousands of young people are not in gainful employment and feel excluded from the sharing of the national cake. We also have to factor in the use of social media nowadays which does not appear to mind about truthful spreading of news and information.
If elections are not well conducted they could be the springboard of civil unrest, war, and genocide. Where do such terrible evils leave our small farms? The videos that we have seen on TV, of people fleeing their countries or their regions of settlement, never depict them carrying their crop fields. They only show desperate men and women carrying their mattresses and just a few other personal belongings. Some of the videos display people carrying along a few sheep and goats and you really wonder if they are sure of grazing ground wherever they are headed to spend their refugee years. No farmer will run away with his or her garden if a civil war breaks out tomorrow.
Farmers must therefore take this campaign and election period very seriously. They should pay due attention to what the political candidates and their agents are saying and promising. Their choices should be governed by careful consideration after listening to all the candidates and not really because of gifts such as money or items like, sugar, salt, bars of soap, and loaves of bread.
The farmers should indeed elect candidates who have the best plans for developing agriculture. They should seek to know the truth by reflecting deeply about what the different candidates are promising.